4 Simple Steps to Start Training With Power

Is power a word that you’ve heard tossed around amongst cycling friends, but you have no idea what it really means? Well, you’re not alone. Power meters in today’s market give you plenty of metrics: cadence, left-right leg efficiency, average power, max power, and everything in between. Often times, you end up with far more data than necessary to add some simple structure to your training for strength and performance gains. Here's what you need to know to get started, and check out our Big Book of Training for more details.

The most important concept to help you understand a new power training program is functional threshold power—better known as FTP. Essentially, your FTP is your highest sustainable power output for a theoretical 60-minute effort. It’s important to know your FTP so you can create what are called ‘power zones’—everything from easy recovery spinning to all out, anaerobic efforts. The zones are labeled Z1 (active recovery) through Z7 (neuromuscular power) with levels in between known (in order of difficulty) as endurance, tempo, threshold, V02 max and anaerobic capacity. Most riders, from beginners to seasoned pros, spend the majority of their time in zones 2 and 3 (endurance/tempo) building a strong base—which is crucial before stepping up to harder, interval-type training (zones 4-7).

It’s simplest to find your functional threshold power by warming up for 20 minutes, then completing a 20-minute all-out time-trial effort. Cycling coach extraordinaire and author of numerous training books, Joe Friel, recommends using a false flat or gentle uphill to run your first FTP test because steeper hills have a tendency to contort the data. Doing your test on a trainer indoors is also a good option, though it can be more difficult to stay focused and motivated. Finally, re-testing your FTP once or twice a year is important: as you gain strength, your FTP will rise and you’ll need to adjust your training zones to see continued improvement in your workouts.

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Step Two: Find Your Lactate Threshold (and Other Zones)

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Now that you have your FTP, it can serve as a reference point for all of your training zones. For example, you'll be able to figure out your lactate threshold (LT), by taking your average FTP wattage and subtracting 5 percent. It’s best to think of lactate threshold as the point at which your muscles can no longer run on only oxygen and you’re forced to dip into your glycogen reserves to keep the legs moving. On the bike, this is where you really start to work. You'll feel out of breath, and your muscles will probably start to burn as they accumulate lactic acid faster than it can be flushed out. Many intervals are done at LT because it's the hardest you can work without blowing up. A high LT means that you can push more power, longer, so it's a great metric to work on.

Calculating your other power training zones is easy; simply figure out the corresponding percentages of your lactate threshold:

Zone 1- Active Recovery = < 55% of LT

Zone 2- Endurance = 56-75% of LT

Zone 3- Tempo = 76-90% of LT

Zone 4- Lactate Threshold = 91-105% of LT

Zone 5- VO2 Max = 106-120% of LT

Zone 6- Anaerobic Capacity = 121-150% of LT

Zone 7- Neuromuscular Power = max effort

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Step Three: Make a Training Plan

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Completing the time-trial test for your FTP and determining the corresponding power zones is the easiest step in starting to train with power. Figuring out the amount of time and effort to put into training in each of these zones is the challenge, and often where a cycling coach can be most helpful.

A good coach will work with his athlete to make a detailed assessment of their goals—your starting point, level of experience, and focus will all dictate how you should approach your training. A track athlete, for example, will focus on cadence and shorter anaerobic efforts, while a cross country mountain biker will be more interested in conditioning their aerobic endurance.

Just remember that it should still be fun. Dena Eaton, a USA Cycling coach with over 20 years of racing experience in various disciplines says, “First, remember that no matter how hard you drive yourself toward the top step of the podium, sport is meant to be fun. It’s important that a coach doesn’t inhibit this feeling of joy. In fact, a coach should be there to intertwine your love of sport with your lifestyle.” Training with power or following a structured training plan from a coach should never replace the pure joy you get from riding a bike.

Once you've got your zones and your training plan figured out, you can play with other variables like cadence and the power-to-weight concept, both of which can have significant effects on your overall power output. Your power-to-weight ratio is a relatively controllable factor that can greatly increase your speed. Basically, the lower your weight, the less energy (watts) it takes to go the same speed at a consistent pace for longer periods of time. While losing weight won’t necessarily increase your power, it will increase your power-to-weight ratio—which means you'll go faster with less work.

Another important variable when playing with power is cadence. You can think of cadence as revolutions per minute (RPMs) that you make with your legs when pedaling. Try riding with different cadences to see what works best for you when targeting various power zones. Some athletes have the muscle to push massive watts when turning over a big (hard) gear at 50 RPMs. Others have the aerobic capacity to spin 120 RPMs and keep consistently high power numbers. There is no right or wrong – it’s important to find whatever cadence allows your body to put out consistent levels of power.

There are many types of power training programs on the market that can guide you to greater levels of fitness. Now that you have the knowledge of some of the basics, it’s up to you to decide on the right program for your time commitment and cycling goals. As always, it’s not a matter of the quantity you train, but the quality of the time you spend training. When using power basics in a systematic training approach, results can come quickly. Introducing more detailed metrics and working with a professional coach can further refine your skills, helping you maximize your performance.

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